


Lies #2: Father

by RiverRaySong



Series: Lies [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Autophobia, Background Thomas Sanders, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Brutal Murder, Christianity, Forests, Gen, Gore, Hiking, Homophobia, Horror, I know I'm the one writing the story, Joan - Freeform, Morality | Patton Sanders Angst, Morality | Patton Sanders Has Panic Attacks, Morality | Patton Sanders Needs a Hug, Morality | Patton Sanders-centric, Murder, Panic Attacks, Patton's a little bitch, Protective Morality | Patton Sanders, Psychological Horror, Serial Killers, Talyn - Freeform, Transphobia, but srsly it's painful, can he not be LGBTQ+phobic please, lilly singh - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-28
Updated: 2020-07-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:54:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24963346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverRaySong/pseuds/RiverRaySong
Summary: ~A Sanders Sides horror fanfic~ Patton lives with his mother in Gainesville, afraid of being alone. His cousin Thomas suddenly goes missing, though, leaving him the choice to either fight or flee.
Series: Lies [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1787554
Comments: 17
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

This fanfic is the second installment of the Lies series. Although reading the first book, Lies #1: Panic, is not required, it is recommended to start with the first one.

This fanfic contains disturbing topics. If any of the following warnings specify one of your triggers, do not read. Reader discretion advised.

TW: Gore, panic attacks, murder, homophobia, transphobia, discussion of religion, and small usage of uncensored swearing (Joan).

This fanfic is also on the shorter side, being around 18K words long. Do not turn away because of this, it is still very descriptive and well written.

This fanfic is the second in the series and is centered on Patton Sanders. The following books and the first are each centered on a different side. Also note that they go backwards in chronological order. The order of when the books take place is this: #4, #3, #2, #1, #5. Keep this in mind when future books are published.

That is all. Enjoy this fanfic.

********************

On a sunny, cloudless September day in Gainesville, Florida, there were lots of people out and about in the city. The weather was warm and bright, the sun shining and bringing joy to the humans and other creatures that were outside. In one of the many neighborhoods of this city, in a two-story house, there lived a 22-year-old man by the name of Patton Sanders.

The name Sanders had been his mother’s family name. All of the relatives that he knew shared it alongside him. It was a name that Patton liked, and others did to. Whenever someone came to the help desk at the library he worked at, they would always compliment his name. This was a very happy thing for Patton, as he loved conversing with every person he came across and hearing about their day. People were such wonderful things; just as interesting if not more than the books that Patton shelved daily. Being a librarian was a job that suited the young man, for being in the midst of so many people was a reassuring thing for him.

Something he did not appreciate about the name was who some people associated it with. On some days, people would say, “Sanders? You mean like Bernie Sanders?” This got especially tiring when the person would start talking about politics with Patton. Although Patton enjoyed talking to people, he became uncomfortable when mentioning certain subjects. Politics was too controversial for him; it ripped families apart. It was best to keep his beliefs to himself and not make anyone mad. Patton didn’t think it mattered that he was against the LGBTQ+ community and didn’t support the people included in it. If everyone just ignored things like that, life would be so much happier and simpler. There was no need to purposefully pursue hate. It was as the Bible said; love thy neighbor. _The world could sure use a lot more love all around._

The milk reached the halfway point in Patton’s bowl of cereal, the corn flakes floating in the white liquid. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, and he tried to enjoy it the best he could before going into work each morning. As he sat down in the dining room table to eat, his mother came into the kitchen. Patton looked over at her and smiled. “Morning, Mom! Y’know, I was just thinking- what if I quit my job and became a cereal killer?”

For a moment, his mother was silent. Then she let out a laugh and shook her head, “You think that one’s good? How about this- how did Reese eat her cereal?”

“How?” he grinned, knowing where this was going but getting excited anyways. As she pulled out the container of eggs and put it on the counter, she winked at him, “Witherspoon.” Patton giggled for a good ten seconds, beaming happily. “Where did you find that one? I thought I was the one with all the Reese Witherspoon jokes!” He sipped the last bit of milk from his bowl and put his dish in the sink. His mother shrugged, “Heard it at work. Say, aren’t you going on that hike today with the library kids?”

“Yep!” Patton nodded, grabbing a backpack off the couch in the front room that he had packed the night before. “If all the people who signed up show, we’ll have twenty teens to keep track of. I mean, I’m good with kids, but I’ll be glad to have Lilly, Camden, and AJ there to help out. It’ll certainly be a fun and exciting day!” He made his way to the front door, opening it wide and taking a deep breath of outside air. “Bye Mom, see ya later!”

With the farewell of his mother behind him, he started the short walk to the library. Patton was lucky to have his job be just a couple blocks away. Not only did he get some daily exercise and Vitamin D, he could greet the people he passed by. All of his neighbors knew him personally, and he loved chatting with them all. Not only did he get these benefits, but he also got some alone time that wasn’t too bad. At this point, Patton had come to understand that for most people, being alone was relaxing and recharging. But for him, it was one of the worst things in the entire world, and it scared him more than anything else. Most nights he would cry himself to sleep because nobody was there with him- nobody was there to reassure him that he wasn’t going to be left alone forever. The reason why Patton could stand walking alone was because he could see other people around the streets, out in their yards, through the windows in their houses. He wasn’t truly alone if he could see other beings of his own race. It was when a room or place was void of human life- all except for him. How was he supposed to know how long it would be, his solitude?

Currently, Patton didn’t have to worry about this, though. Instead, he was walking into the library and waving at his coworkers. The library wasn’t open yet, but most all the librarians were there preparing for the day. Patton went behind the front desk and sat down at the computer, getting started on the zip books. Although he knew the hiking trip would be leaving in an hour once people arrived, he wanted to get as much work done as possible. He liked being useful to the people around him, and sitting around playing _Minesweeper_ would definitely not be that.

Lilly Singh, one of his favorite coworkers, approached the counter and leaned against it. “Good, you’re here. Camden and AJ are making sure everything’s ready before the kids get here.” She sighed and rolled her eyes. “I just hope Joan doesn’t go on one of their swearing rants again. Maybe we should split them, Thomas, and Talyn up?”

“No!” Patton objected, “Of course not. I’ll just ask him not to swear as much beforehand.” It was a known fact that Joan, one of the teens, had a tendency to use bad language to quite an extent. _He_ was best friends with Thomas, Patton’s younger cousin, and Talyn was his girlfriend. Although he was a nice kid, he didn’t really like Patton all that much because Patton didn’t believe in more than the binary genders and he himself preferred they/them pronouns. In fact, his girlfriend was the same way. _That’s not how God intended it._ Luckily, Joan was too anxious to ever correct Patton and make a scene of it. _As long as we don’t fight about it, everything will be fine._ Really, pronouns didn’t matter all that much. They were simply words, and Joan and Talyn were just trying to draw attention to themselves by using ones different from others.

Sometimes, Patton worried about how much time Thomas spent with them. Thomas had been best friends with Joan since they were fourteen, two years before, and Talyn since Joan started dating her a year before. They seemed inseparable, constantly spending time together. Patton was starting to think they were influencing him in the wrong ways. Recently, Thomas had been talking more and more about some TV shows which were known for their LGBTQ+ representation. What if he began to think that those certain things were okay? Hearing people say it was okay might alter his perception of it now, and ultimately steer him away from the faith. That was something Patton definitely didn’t want for his cousin.

“Well,” Lilly stood up straight, “I’ll go put up the open sign, since all of us are here now. Just in case you weren’t sure, we’re leaving the minute the clock strikes nine, even if we’re missing some people. We can’t be late or we’ll be stuck out there after dark.” She turned away and left Patton sitting at the counter, contemplating how he was going to bring up Joan’s swearing later when the teen arrived.

It was another ten minutes before teens started getting there. Thomas and Joan showed up first, heading over to the YA section where Talyn joined them twenty minutes later. They had said hello to Patton before moving on, and he was slightly sad about it. He really loved talking with Thomas about things- he was a good kid. Somewhere in the back of Patton’s mind, though, he knew exactly why they didn’t really want to talk to him, but he ignored it.

The others were slowly coming in, and by 8:45 most everyone was waiting in the lobby, with a few exceptions. Camden, AJ, and Lilly were doing a roll call, and Patton got up to join them. “Heya, kiddos!” he waved to the teens. “You excited for the hike? I can’t be-leaf it’s about to happen!” Nearly all the high schoolers groaned, but there was one girl in the back who let out a single ‘ha!’. Camden looked down at the sheet of paper in his hand. “Alright, the only one who isn’t here yet is Gabby. Anyone know where she might be? We only have a little time before we have to head out.”

The front doors swung open and a frazzled-looking seventeen-year-old sprinted into the library. “Thank goodness!” she heaved a sigh of relief. “You guys haven’t left yet.” She melted into the group of teens and Camden shrugged. “Guess we’re ready to go. The bus is outside, come on.”

Slowly making their way out of the building, the group of bookworms went over to the bus parked just outside. AJ was going to be driving, so Patton sat down in one of the middle rows. He wanted to be surrounded by the others, to be able to talk to them easily. The almost-late girl plopped down beside him, shoving her round glasses up her nose. She had a giant head full of luscious brown curls that went just past her shoulders. Her grey shorts reached her knees, and she was wearing a loose orange t-shirt. Pulling a book out of her back, she immediately started reading. The book was titled _Paris_ , with the Eiffel Tower on the front and the author’s name underneath it, Edward Rutherfurd. It was a very large book, hardcover, and did not have any library barcodes on it. _It must be hers, then._ Patton smiled at her, “What’s your book about?”

“Oh,” the older teen lowered her book slightly so she could see him. “It’s just a bunch of stories all throughout history about both real and fictional people, but all of them are set in Paris. It’s really interesting. I really want to get Edward Rutherfurd’s book _New York_ \- it’s about how New York City was created and is about fictional immigrant families- but the library doesn’t have it, so I’ve been searching every thrift store I come across. That’s how I found this one.” She waved _Paris_ around a little. “I saw it sitting on the shelf and instantly knew I needed to get it.”

Patton extended a hand to her, “I’m Patton. You’re Gabby, right?”

“Yeah,” she shook his hand. “So, basically, this is a like a treasure hunt kind of thing? I don’t really know what this is about; my mom had me sign up because she wants me to be more social.” Gabby fiddled with her fingers a bit, looking around the bus. _She must not have a lot of friends._ He nodded, “Yes, it’s a mystery-themed hike! We’ll be following clues in a hiking area to find a special surprise. You’ll probably be really useful- you look like a smart reader!”

Taking a moment to respond, Gabby frowned. “Not really. I mostly read non-fiction or historical fiction, once in a while some contemporary. I’m not a big fan of sci-fi or fantasy, or manga, which is what everyone else is into. I’m guessing that most of the clues are based around those kinds of things since they’re popular. I probably won’t be much help.” She hesitated, and then bit her lip awkwardly. “If you don’t mind, I’d really like to get to my book.”

“Oh, of course!” he giggled. “I should know by now not to interrupt a reader, sorry.”

The two went quiet as Gabby buried her nose into her book. Patton stared out the window and tapped his finger on the sill repeatedly, getting slightly antsy with nobody to talk with. Not being one for social media, he couldn’t pull out his phone and busily type away on it. All he could do was look at the passing countryside, which was actually calming to an extent. The hiking area they were headed to was a large forest that had a river cutting straight through it- he’d even seen pictures of a waterfall that was around a hundred feet tall somewhere among the trees. The waterfall was going to be their final destination, where they’d have a picnic lunch and a relaxing couple of hours to read and socialize. All in all, Patton was very excited to get started. It was going to be a very fun day with his coworkers and the teens, most of whom he knew from previous outings like this. These were the things he looked forward to the most in his life; spending days with people who enjoyed the same things as him. It wasn’t an especially exciting life per say, but it was one Patton was very happy with. People were the only things that were really important, along with God. Fame and money were truly worthless. Kindness was the only attribute that anyone should pursue.

 _There it is._ The parking lot that was the start of all the different trails was just ahead. AJ pulled into a parking spot specifically made for a bus and the engine stopped. Before chaos could ensue, Lilly stood up at the front of the vehicle. “Okay, everyone! We’re gonna go outside in an organized way and then assign buddies. Don’t want anyone to get lost, do we?”

Murmurs of compliance rippled through the rows of teens. Lilly then gestured to the door. “Head on out single file, then. Stay in the parking lot; don’t go ahead on one of the trails.” She hopped out of the bus herself and went to stand in front of the vehicle. The high schoolers shuffled out into the main isle and made their way into the fresh air. Patton stuck to the back to watch for any stray kids. The moment he jumped onto the asphalt, his smile turned into a beam. _It’s so wonderful here! It really is beautiful._

Being September, the leaves of the trees were just starting to change color. Although the leaves were still mostly green, there was red and orange dotted around them and on the ground beneath their feet. _Crunch!_ Patton stepped on one and watched as the brown flakes drifted away in the wind. The only sounds were the wind in the trees, the birds, and the quiet talking of the others. It was the perfect day for a hike and picnic. The air smelled sweet and cold. _Probably because of the river nearby._

Joan, Talyn, and Thomas were standing on the edge of the group, discussing something. It must’ve been funny, as Thomas let out his trademark laugh and threw back his head in glee. Patton smiled, happy that someone else was happy, and yet wondering what exactly they had been talking about. Joan was usually quite vulgar about things while Talyn was a lazy Goth. It was quite strange that these were the two best friends that Thomas had ended up with. He was a lot different from them.

It only took a good five minutes to divide the teens up into smaller groups. They were all staying together, but in case something happened, the teams were supposed to stick together no matter what. The teams became basically just the already-standing friendships. Patton was given Gabby and a fourteen-year-old boy named Percy to look after, as it was apparent they did not have any friends among the people there that day.

So, the expedition set off onto the trail. Gabby, Percy, and Patton stayed at the back, just behind Thomas, Joan, and Talyn. _Good, I can make sure Thomas is safe. Joan might go off the path to look at something closely too._ Before they had even gone two steps down the path, though, Percy halted and pointed into the trees. “I saw something,” he narrowed his eyes.

Patton glanced over to where Percy was pointing, and at that moment Thomas screamed. Patton whipped his head back to look in front of him, only to see that his cousin had disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Patton is very worried, and Joan and Talyn are awesome friends.

“Thomas!” Patton cried out, desperately looking around. Talyn and Joan were lying on the ground, looking as if they’d been shoved down. Joan pushed up onto his feet. “Fucking damn it! Where’d he and that creep go?” The sixteen-year-old was breathing hard, and he was acting quite panic-stricken. Talyn had a hand over her mouth, more shocked than scared. Gabby took a few steps off the trail and waved a hand into the wilderness. “I saw them go that way- some dude wearing black snatched him. What kind of kidnapper wears black out here? The only reason people wear black when doing crime is because they usually do it at night, so they need to blend in. But it’s morning!”

Joan glared at her furiously, helping Talyn to her feet. “Who the fuck cares why they were wearing black? They took Thomas, that’s what matters! We have to get Thomas back!” He only made it three steps in the direction the kidnapper had taken before Patton grabbed him and dragged him back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, kiddo! Don’t go running off now; we don’t want you getting kidnapped too! Gabby, go get the others so we can talk about what we should do next.” Gabby immediately took off running and Patton worriedly bit his lip. _I should’ve had Percy go with her…_ That person could come back and take her too, although the rest of the crowd wasn’t that far away, and they were starting to head back. They’d probably heard Thomas scream.

 _I can’t believe this is happening!_ Patton’s cousin had been snatched away into the woods by some random person. Who would do that? Why go all the way out there to kidnap someone? _Will Thomas be okay?_ What if he was tortured, or sexually assaulted? What if he was murdered? _Don’t think about that. I just have to focus on getting him back. He’ll be okay- he has to be!_

“Hey,” someone put a hand on Patton’s shoulder and he flinched, being pulled back into the present. Lilly was in front of him, frowning deeply. “What happened? Where’s Thomas? Are you okay?”

It was only then that Patton realized he was crying. Tears were slowly dripping down his cheeks, hanging on his chin before dripping onto the ground. He lifted his glasses and rubbed at his eyes. “I-I’m okay, kiddo. Someone grabbed Thomas and took off into the trees. We’re going to go after them, right? We have to rescue Thomas! I can’t let anything bad happen to him!” Despite his efforts, it was impossible to stop his sobbing. Lilly’s eyes widened, “Oh Patton, it’ll be okay. We’ll find him, alright?” She turned back to the others. “We’re going back to the bus until Thomas is found. Everyone, stay close and makes sure you’re hanging onto a least one person. Nobody else is getting taken.”

Everyone began walking back to the parking lot. Lilly led Patton along, as he was still crying. _How could I have let this happen? I was right there, I could’ve done something!_ He had been stationed at the back of the hiking trip just for this purpose; to make sure everyone was safe. Now his _cousin_ of all people was gone. _I_ was _doing my job. Percy said he saw something, so I looked to see what it was. It’s surprising how fast that person moved, I didn’t even see them! I shouldn’t blame myself unnecessarily. I just need to be more careful next time._ This calmed him down a little, but he was still very upset. Anything could be happening to Thomas at that very moment, and there was nothing they could do about it.

When they were all standing on the pavement, Lilly left Patton to stand with Joan, Talyn, Gabby, and Percy while she went over to AJ and Camden. They whispered together for a few moments before Camden faced the teens. “So, you all probably are wondering where Thomas is and what that scream was about. Someone apparently grabbed him and ran off- not one of us. So, for all of your safety, the hike is being postponed until we find Thomas or the cops get here. AJ’s gonna call them right now, but we’re about forty-five minutes out from the city so it’ll be a while until they get here. If you’ll all wait patiently, we’ll tell you what we’re gonna do about finding Thomas in a bit.” The teens all started murmuring to one another as Camden turned back to Lilly. AJ was already on the phone, and Patton approached the two other adults.

Camden was already speaking. “So, what’re we gonna do? We can’t leave these kids here alone, the kidnapper could come back and we don’t know anything about them. I don’t think we should start searching without the cops.”

“What?” Patton flinched. “We can’t leave Thomas out there with them! The cops won’t be here for an hour, and we can’t afford to wait that long! Some of us have to go out there and search before it’s too late!”

The two of them looked at Lilly, who still remained silent. She had her chin balanced on her hand thoughtfully. Finally, she spoke. “You’re both right, but Patton is more so. That person could be hurting Thomas and we can’t let that happen. What we’re gonna do is have Camden and AJ stay behind with the kids while Patton and I go look for Thomas- that way we’ll have a head start before the police get here. Camden, as soon as they get here I want you to call my cell. We’ll keep you updated as we go.”

 _Thank God,_ Patton let out a sigh of relief. He didn’t know if he could’ve handled staying put and not doing anything to save his cousin. Thomas was in danger somewhere out in that forest and nobody else could help him but them. Negative thoughts clouded his head. _What if he’s already…?_ He cut off the thought before it could fully play out. _No, I can’t think like that. I have to believe that he’s still out there, and that he’s okay. God is with Thomas; he will protect him._ The thought reassured Patton, and he became resolute. With God, they would prevail and Thomas would be safe.

AJ joined them, sliding his cell into his pocket. “The cops are on their way, but it’ll be half an hour to an hour before they get here. Have you guys figured out what to do yet? If we sit around much longer, it won’t make much of a difference if we go searching or not.”

Lilly nodded, “Camden will stay here with you while Patton and I look for Thomas. Keep everyone on the bus; maybe play some games like Mafia. Just make sure nobody starts panicking, that’s not something we want at a time like this.” She put a hand on Patton’s arm. “You ready to go, Patton? Or do you need a little bit?”

“No,” he shook his head. “Let’s go- we might not have a lot of time.” His tears had dried up mostly and he was ready for action, whether it be turning over rocks or fighting a kidnapper dressed in black. _Do I even know any fighting moves?_ He would know what to do in the moment, right? Humans had instincts- he would be fine. _What if the person is trained in karate? I’ve never taken any classes._ What if they had a weapon? _I’ll deal with it if the situation arises, no use worrying about it now._

They slipped away silently as Camden got the attention of the teens. _I hope it doesn’t take too long to find Thomas._ The daunting size of the forest made Patton all the more nervous, but he pushed it down. _God will lead us to Thomas._ He had to believe there was a way to make it through this without anything bad happening. _I have to have hope._ It was easier said than done, but Patton needed to follow through on it. _Without belief in God, I am hopeless. Without hope, I cannot save Thomas. And if I can’t save Thomas…_

The dirt trail wound deep into the trees, and because they were searching for Thomas, Patton could really get a good look at the surrounding environment. The path was not an entirely flat one; rocks and roots stuck up, waiting to trip unknowing suspects. Deep green grass was encroaching on it as well, spreading out across the entire forest floor. Bushes and shrubs grew here and there, and giant boulders rose high in some areas. The trees, though, were the tallest of all of these things. They seemed to stretch endlessly upwards towards the sky, which Patton had to look hard through the green, red, and orange leaves to see. Sunlight dappled down amongst the shade, giving the entire place brilliant lighting and colors. It was the perfect day concerning weather, but the situation at hand seemed to dim the gorgeousness.

For the time being, Lilly and Patton were staying on the path. Patton didn’t think this was the best choice, as they knew the kidnapper ran _away_ from the path, but when he asked his coworker about it she had said, “We wouldn’t want to get lost ourselves, would we?” It was a solid reason, but was it good enough? _What if Thomas gets killed because we didn’t take a risk?_ To be truthful, he knew just how easily they could become lost in the expanse of the wild. He could imagine how terrifying it would be, too. No shelter, no food, no water, nobody but the two of them to find their way back. _The two of us._ Only a single person that could look out for Patton, that could talk to him. This was even the case right at that moment. The only person with him was Lilly, and she was too focused on jumping around and looking behind trees to talk. It was very nerve-wracking for him. _What if she runs off and leaves me here? What if I get lost trying to go after her? What if I’m left alone in this place?_ The world changed from dim beauty to terrifyingly dangerous. Anything could happen out here. Was Patton prepared for any of it?

“Hey!” Lilly’s voice snapped Patton out of his thoughts. He’d stopped walking and was instead standing frozen, staring off into the distance. “You don’t look too good, you sure you’re okay?” She spun around to fully face him, her hands on her hips. “I know you don’t like being alone, but don’t worry, I’m here. I’m not gonna leave you.”

 _That’s what he said._ The words almost slipped, but Patton bit his tongue to stop them. Instead, he simply nodded and continued moving forward, passing by Lilly. Her words had reassured him, but he also knew that she could easily go back on them if needed. _I’m not the one in danger here- Thomas is. I can handle being alone for a little while if it means saving him. I’m an adult, for goodness sake!_ But did being an adult really mean anything?

Suddenly, the bushes behind Patton rattled loudly and he spun around, his heart skipping a beat as terror gripped him. _Who’s that!?_ In a split-second, he’d thrown up his fists into a hap-hazardous defense position. _I’m ready to beat up that mean kidnapper!_ Lilly was just in front of him, and together they stared at the two figures that emerged from behind a tree.

Joan waved and clicked his tongue as he hopped down a small incline. “Heya, mind if we join the party? I don’t want Thomas to think we’re bad friends or anything when you find him.” Talyn nodded in agreement and raised a fist aggressively, “Yeah, just because I’m tiny doesn’t mean I can’t fight! We’re not going to back down and leave Thomas all alone out there.” The two of them crossed their arms, and Joan added, “Also, we’re too far out to turn back, so you kinda have to take us along.”

Both adults were silent for a few moments before Patton spluttered out, “You weren’t supposed to follow us out here! It’s dangerous, and you could get hurt or taken by the kidnapper! What were you thinking? It was irresponsible to put yourselves in danger like that! You can’t- you can’t just _do_ this. Do you realize how upset Thomas would be if he knew you guys were risking your lives unnecessarily?” His breathing was ragged as he tried not to break down again. _What if both of them are taken too? I can’t lose all three in a single day, not like this! This shouldn’t even be happening!_

Talyn came over to him. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be okay. I doubt anybody would want to kidnap one of us anyways. They don’t need three nerds, do they?” She let out a sarcastic chuckle, not waiting for a response. “So, we’re just staying on the trail for now? I doubt we’ll find them that way, unless it goes by the river. I mean, that’s probably where I would hide out.”

Lilly stayed quiet, and Patton thought about this. Although Talyn was most likely correct, was it worth it if they weren’t there? They could cover a lot more ground if they strayed away, as the kidnapper might not expect that. If only they had a map or a compass! Either could’ve been used in the middle of nowhere to figure out where they were. It was a tough decision to say the least, and ultimately it was one that could change Thomas’s fate. Finally, Lilly spoke up. “You’re right. The path does lead to the river, and then to the waterfall. It might be a good idea to check around that area, and we probably won’t get lost because we’ll hear where the water is. Patton, you good with that?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, although he wasn’t quite sure it would be the right choice.

The now band of four began their journey again. It felt like an eternity was passing as they walked along, exploring the large expanse of land. When Patton checked his watch, he discovered that it was 11:37. _It’s been two hours and a half since we left the library. How could so much have happened in so short a time?_ It was incredible how fast yet slow time could drift away. Joan and Talyn had little conversations between themselves, and he liked to listen in on them as to not feel so lonely. For a while, they discussed the recent terrorist attack on a hospital in San Francisco. Apparently, there had been a man on the inside who’d killed multiple people, patients and doctors included, while armed citizens made sure nobody could get out. Patton had only heard about it two weeks after the incident, and he’d tried to forget it. There was a lot of pain and horror out in the world that he already knew about; he didn’t need to hear about more. _Like all of this._ The kidnapping of Thomas was something nobody needed.

Eventually, they came to a fork in the road. They debated which way was the correct one for a couple minutes before Lilly remembered Camden saying it was the left one. Patton, having no idea what could possibly even tell them from the environment was the accurate direction, stayed out of it. It was best not to argue about something he was not knowledgeable in himself, and he hated bickering about things anyways. So, they continued onwards into the unknown.

It wasn’t long before they all descended into silence. Patton wasn’t afraid even now, as he was at the back and could see all three of his companions. It had been worse before with only one person, but would Lilly, Joan, _and_ Talyn abandon him? That was an unlikely possibility, and he didn’t need to worry about it. _Maybe I should ask Joan and Talyn how they’re-_ Patton’s foot caught underneath a sneaky root and he flew forwards, barely putting out his hands in time to catch himself. The landing reverberated through his arms and into his shoulders painfully and he whimpered, “Ow…” Before he could even stand up, he heard someone hit the ground, followed by a disturbing _shunk!_ and a scream. Patton immediately sprang to his feet, seeing a black blur disappear back into the forest. Joan and Talyn were both crouched next to Lilly’s body on the ground.

“Lilly!” Patton dashed over to the others and bent down beside her. She was crying in agony, and her whole lower abdomen was soaked in the dark red color of blood.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan and Talyn are dedicated to finding Thomas, but Patton knows Lilly needs medical attention.

The fact that one of Patton’s closest friends was lying on the ground bleeding profusely wasn’t registering in Patton’s head. It wasn’t possible that this could’ve happened. Maybe to someone else, but to Lilly? No, there was no way. Something like this didn’t just _happen_. With a trembling hand, he reached out and pressed against the wound. Lilly screamed out in pain, but he knew it was necessary. The bleeding had to be stopped- he’d read about that somewhere, but where? He couldn’t think straight; his mind felt foggy. Joan and Talyn were speaking to each other, but he wasn’t paying attention to them. What they were saying didn’t matter. Finally, it clicked in him. _Lilly Singh is in dangerous risk of bleeding out._ The world shifted back into focus and he looked up at the two teens. “Run and get help!”

Neither of them moved from where they were. Talyn was busily ripping off a piece of Lilly’s shirt to wrap tightly around the stab wound, while Joan was standing next to a tree staring intently where the assaulter had run off towards. Ignoring Patton, he said determinedly, “I’m going after them- it was definitely the guy that took Thomas. If I follow them, I might be able to find Thomas.”

“No, no, no!” Patton’s eyes widened. “Kiddo, you’ll get yourself… _killed_ doing that. You can see what they did to Lilly. The same could happen to you! Right now, we need to get Lilly medical help. Talyn, you seem to know what you’re doing- stay here with Lilly while Joan gets help. I’ll go after that no-good death-dealer.” The thought almost sent him over the edge and into a panic attack, but what else could he do? _I can’t let Joan risk his life like that!_ Wandering through the forest after someone who obviously was very dangerous? Nothing was more frightening than that. _Except for finding out that Thomas might be dead…_ That, of course, overruled all other fears. If Thomas was gone? _I don’t want to think about that._

Talyn then stood up. “No, Patton, you should stay with Lilly. We all know you have the Autophobia disorder. Joan and I will both go after that person and try to find Thomas. Patton, you can carry Lilly back to the bus.” Before Patton could object, she raised an eyebrow. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine. We can handle ourselves.” The two teens exchanged glances before running off after the person in black. Silence stretched out, only disturbed by Lilly’s grunts of anguish.

 _I need to get Lilly back._ This thought was the one thing that got Patton moving. He slipped his hands underneath Lilly and lifted her up. She cried out at the movement, but there was no helping it. _Can I really make it back in time without hurting her even more?_ How would he even be able to carry her that whole way? He wasn’t particularly strong, and even now he was struggling to keep her in the air. _I can’t question it- I have to do it._ Staying here or going without her were not options. Either way, she would bleed out before anyone came to save her. The only choice was to go, and go fast.

Running occupied most of Patton’s thoughts for the first few minutes. It was the only important thing at that moment, it was his one goal; save the life of Lilly Singh. Her blood was seeping onto the sleeves of the gray cardigan hanging over his shoulders, as well as his blue t-shirt. It didn’t matter. But slowly, as the minutes passed, his mind shifted over to a fact that started to grow in importance before his very eyes. In this giant expanse of land, he was alone with the exception of a near-unconscious person.

It was hard to hold Lilly in his arms. Patton’s whole body had begun shaking violently and he clung onto her desperately. This was only the start of what he knew was to come. After having experienced so many of these attacks over his life, he had learned the stages. The shaking always came first, the incessant trembling. Sometimes it was accompanied by nausea so overwhelming that he threw up all the contents in his stomach. If he stayed alone longer than ten minutes, he would upgrade to feeling the need to flee. The need to run to wherever there was people, to escape to safety. Because at night when Patton tried to fall asleep, he was in grave danger. Anything could take his mother, or she could leave him like _he_ had done. Patton could be abandoned again with not a soul to care for him in the world. One by one, everyone could slip away without a single word. The worries clouded his mind every time he was alone without fail. What if that friend had decided they hated him and never wanted to see him again? What if that relative began to think that he was becoming more and more like _him_?

Right at that moment, Patton was agonizing over whether Joan and Talyn had left because they wanted to save Thomas or because they just hated him. After all, he had never supported them in wanting to be ‘non-binary’. What if they wanted him to get lost and never find his way out of the woods? To be alone for the rest of time? Doubts started to cloud his judgment, and the fear had reared up inside him at full-force. It was impossible to know, but it was the one thing he couldn’t stop thinking about. It always was. There wasn’t anything to keep his mind off of it, the constant wondering of whether he was going to be left again or not.

It wasn’t just when Patton was by himself when these thoughts invaded his mind. No, the feeling was there constantly, like something whispering in his ear. _Do they actually like you? Or are they only talking to you for a hidden motivation? Are they just trying to take advantage of you?_ Questions nagged at him twenty-four/seven, and there was no way to get rid of them. It was second nature now to be uncertain whether someone was really going to stick with him until the end. Perhaps the people he viewed as his best friends simply saw him as an acquaintance? Did they know each other well or was it Patton’s imagination?

After about ten minutes, he halted suddenly and almost dropped Lilly in the process. She barely let out a grunt of pain, and her whole shirt was now dyed red. They had reached the fork in the path, and with a jolt of alarm Patton realized he had no idea which way to take. He cursed himself for not paying attention the first time around. _Where am I supposed to go?_ Taking the wrong one would ultimately lead to Lilly’s death. This choice was a matter of life or death, and it rested solely on his shoulders. _If I pick wrong, Lilly’s death will be my fault!_ The pressure was on; not that it hadn’t been already. Desperately, Patton tried to remember which way they had come from, but the information refused to reveal itself to him. _I’m going to have to just pick randomly and hope I get lucky- Lilly’s too out of it to be able to answer a question._

Before he could regret it, Patton turned onto the left path and started running again. Hoping against hope Lilly was going to make it, he tried concentrating on just getting to their destination. The shaking and nausea were both still with him, along with the prying thoughts about everyone he knew. His chest started to feel constricted, making it harder to breathe. _I have to make it back! I need to get back!_ Time seemed to be stretching on and on, seconds turning to minutes, minutes turning to hours. The surrounding environment all looked the same; not a single familiar landmark was anywhere. _Should I turn back?_ It was no use- if this was the wrong way, it was already too late. Lilly was barely breathing anymore, and there was so much blood covering her and Patton. He had to keep going.

This route seemed to be climbing uphill. As Patton leaped nimbly over roots and rocks, the scenery began to change. The trees start fading out, replaced by long grass and flowers. He was coming up the top of a hill. _This… this wasn’t here before._ Slowing down until he was walking, he felt tears start to well up in his eyes. _I can’t believe it. I actually went the wrong way. What am I supposed to do now?_ There was not a single human being in sight, nor was there anything that could be used to help Lilly’s condition. _Do I go back or stay here? Maybe I should re-wrap her wound…_ He wasn’t that very knowledgeable in the medical department. _I hope she’s not in_ too _much pain! If only I had some ibuprofen or something!_ What he needed was to get her to a hospital, but there was no chance of that happening any time soon. _Maybe I should stop for a minute and check on her._ Not to mention that he was exhausted from running for so long. The nerves and worry had made him keep going, but now that he had stopped the waves of dizziness were washing over him. _I didn’t bring water…_ He carefully sat down and let Lilly lay across his lap.

Lilly was definitely in bad condition. Her shirt was drenched in the sticky liquid, and the part of it that had been ripped away was starting to fall off. Even still there was blood leaking out, although much less now. Just looking at it made Patton almost puke. He gingerly untied the strip of fabric- that certainly wasn’t hard- and then redid it, making sure it was secure. His companion didn’t even twitch. _She must’ve passed out from the pain._ With a twinge of wariness, he wondered what it could possibly be like to be in such an amount of agony. _To be able to go through that..._ It was an incredible feat, to say the least. She was still alive even after all of this.

 _Wait a second._ Patton had assumed that since Lilly wasn’t moving, she must be passed out. But if he looked closely, he could see that her chest wasn’t rising and falling with intake of air. _That’s not right._ People breathed when they slept, right? But hadn’t he heard that sometimes during sleep you could go minutes without actually breathing? Yes, that was probably what was going on at the moment. No, it _was_. There was no way she had _actually_ died. That was out of the question, not even in the range of possibilities of which there were few. Lilly Singh could not be dead, not when she had been alive and happy only two hours earlier.

Patton shook her slightly. “Lilly? Make a noise if you can hear me, or nod.” A minute passed but nothing happened. She remained completely still, her ponytail laying in the dirt. He tapped her cheek a few times, his voice trembling a little as he spoke again. “L-Lilly? Hey, you can hear me, right? Can you open your eyes? Just do that, open your eyes, and don’t do anything else. Open your eyes and look at me.” His coworker’s eyes did not open. _Maybe she just can’t wake up? She might be in a coma!_ Yes, that was it. People went into comas when they got severely injured, right? That always happened in books and movies. Contrary to what he was trying to convince himself to believe, though, his anxiety levels were rising with the knowledge of what was truly going on.

“L-Lilly…” Patton whimpered, “Please, w-wake up.” Tears were starting to accumulate in his eyes, and his chest felt tight. The world around him was becoming increasingly scarier with each passing moment as he began to realize the situation he was in. Whereas before Lilly had been somewhat conscious, now she was either in a coma or… worse. He was completely alone; his fears had come true. After trying his entire life to make sure this never happened, it had come to pass at the worst time possible. _Thomas is captured, Joan and Talyn are in danger, Lilly is really injured… and it’s all my fault. I didn’t try hard enough to keep them safe._ And now he was going to pay the price.

It was hard to focus on anything but that fact. All Patton could think about was the panic that was swallowing him whole. His whole body was tense and shaky, it was hard to breathe, nausea was making him dizzy, and he felt the almost irrepressible urge to run away- to where, he did not know. Just away from the loneliness. If he could just escape it, he wouldn’t feel so scared about what was going to happen next. What was going to happen to him? Was he going to die out here? What would become of Joan, Talyn, and Thomas? The others didn’t know what was going on. _Wait a second… I can call them! I could’ve called them earlier!_ This realization hit him like a giant wave of the ocean. _Lilly might’ve been okay._

Out of desperation, he grabbed Lilly by the shoulders and shook her harshly. “Lilly! Open your eyes and look at me! _Look at me_!” The tears he’d been holding back were flowing down his cheeks, and he let out an anguished yell. Everything was crumbling around him. The only things Patton could feel were grief, guilt, and terror. Time was going by so fast and he couldn’t get a handle on the emotions surging through his head. “ _Open your eyes_!” he cried out again. Patton dissolved into quiet sobs, mumbling to his dear friend whom he had finally accepted could no longer hear him.

Minutes passed, but he did not move from his spot on the forest floor. He let himself wallow in his pain, crying until his eyes ran dry. When this happened and he instead sniffled pitifully, Patton took in a deep, shaky breath. _I… I need to call AJ._ Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, he scrolled through his contacts and pressed on AJ’s number. The dial tone went for a moment before it started ringing. _One ring, two rings, three rings… wouldn’t he have his phone on him? The police might’ve called him; he would have kept it on him._ AJ’s voicemail started playing and he went back to his contacts list. _Maybe his phone died? I’ll try Camden._ Unfortunately, this ended with the same result. _That’s really weird. Why wouldn’t they pick up? Their phones can’t_ both _have died._

_Guess I’ll just have to go back by myself…_

Patton shifted so he could carry Lilly’s body again. He wasn’t going to just leave her here; they would have a proper burial and funeral for her when they returned home. Yes, it meant extra weight and a longer time to get back, but he would deal with his fear rather than abandon her. _I will never abandon anyone._ After standing up, he began his journey back to the bus once again, more scared than he had ever been in his entire life.

This time around, he didn’t have to worry about hurting his dear friend. Patton sprinted through the trees, letting the urge to escape his solitude fuel him. With his eyes being dry, his face had fallen flat into a blank stare at the way ahead of him. _Maybe this is a dream? Maybe none of this is actually happening, and we’re all okay?_ At the moment, everything felt so impossibly surreal to him. It really _did_ feel like a dream. Was this what all terrible events felt like to the people experiencing them? There was an empty sense filling his soul. Nothing about this day was something he could control. Everything had been out of his hands and impossible to change. Still, he thought deep down that it _had_ been his fault. It was a contradiction, and his opinion on the matter changed from moment to moment.

The fork was passed by without Patton even noticing. He knew the way from his mistake before. Of course, it was only now that he remembered Lilly saying the way was left from the other direction so clearly. _Why does it always have to happen that way?_ If only he could change the past- maybe Lilly wouldn’t be dead. _God… you have a reason for this, right?_ That idea comforted him. God was in control; this must be part of his plan. _Job’s children were all taken from him to test him… is this some sort of test for me?_

Upon reaching the parking lot, he resolved that this all must be a test.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback!

A long time before Patton went on the hiking trip, before he lived with the unbearable fear of being alone, he was a slightly introverted person. Out of the 3rd grade class, he was the eight-year-old girlish boy who would go on about cutesy things to nobody but his friends. They liked him well enough, although he always doubted whether they actually were interested in what he was saying or if they just listened because he was their established friend. The only other people who were knowledgeable about his ‘secret’ interests were his parents. On the Tuesday that everything changed, Patton was about to head home from school with one of his friends, Quil Cauchon.

They were sitting together on the playground structure, waiting for Patton’s mother to arrive and pick them up. Quil was going to come home with Patton and stay the night. They did this every two weeks, and were actually quite close. They often ended up watching a Barbie or dog movie, as well as playing a board game or two. It was currently 2 o’clock, and the sun was shining through wispy white clouds down onto their faces. Patton was going on about the new video game he had gotten, _Frogger_ , when Quil interrupted him. “Hey, Pat? Do you like girls?”

 _Do I like girls? What does she mean?_ Confused, he furrowed his eyebrows. “Of course I like girls! Why wouldn’t I? You’re a girl, and you’re my best friend!” It was a strange question to ask, but he didn’t bother being suspicious about it. Until his friend spoke again, that is. “No, no, of course I know that. I mean like, do you want to _kiss_ girls?”

For a few moments, he didn’t respond. _Did_ he want to kiss girls? “I don’t know,” Patton shrugged. “I guess if I ever liked one I would. What about you? Do you want to kiss girls?” It was polite to ask a question like that back, right? Like you would if someone asked about your day? He didn’t really know, nor did he really care. Quil hesitated and eventually spoke, “Yeah, I think it would be nice. Or a boy, it doesn’t really matter to me. Would you want to kiss a boy?”

 _A boy…_ Well, there was another kid in their class who was a boy that he did really like. Patton had always thought it was because he wanted to be noticed by a popular kid, but now that he thought about it… “I think so,” Patton nodded. “Any boy would do, I’m not picky.” At this, the two burst into giggles, both happy with their discussion about girls and boys. Nobody had asked Patton about something like that before, but he quite liked wondering about it.

Remembering there were a couple of granola bars in his bag, he swung his backpack off his back and unzipped the opening. “You hungry? I’ve got some snacks!” Quil nodded, and he handed her one. His mother really knew him well; they were chocolate and peanut butter chip bars. _Delicious,_ he savored the taste of his little treat. _I wonder what will be for dinner tonight? Dad said he might make Indian food tonight. I hope it’s not super spicy like last time._ His father liked to experiment with foreign recipes he found on the Internet, as he was the one who cooked meals. Patton’s mother was hopeless at making food, and it seemed that Patton himself had inherited this gene. No matter how many times his dad tried to get him to help in the kitchen, it always ended in disaster.

“Hey, kiddos!” At the sound of Patton’s mom, the two looked behind them to see the smiling woman. She had long blonde hair and glasses perched on her nose, with a flowery dress reaching her ankles. “Are you ready to go?”

Quil jumped onto her feet, her brown curls bouncing. “Yes, Aunt Patty!” The two families had been close since they were little, so the two children ended up calling the others’ parents ‘aunt’ and ‘uncle’. This was how Patton first discovered what his own parents’ actual names were- he had been astonished to learn they weren’t really named Mom and Dad. When Quil said ‘Aunt Patty’ for the first time, he had asked who Aunt Patty was. This resulted in his parents’ rip-roaring laughter, leaving their son to remain confused for the next few minutes.

The three of them left the schoolyard and went out to Patton’s family’s sleek yellow car. His mother had never cared for the color, but his father seemed to like it a lot. Patton and Quil got into the back seat while his mom sat at the wheel. She pressed a button on the stereo and music started humming quietly from the speakers on either side of the children. When Patton had asked what music it was a while before, his mom had told him it was the soundtrack to a musical called _Mamma Mia!_ Even though he had never seen it, he loved listening to it and singing along. Quil did too, and she had a beautiful singing voice in his opinion. Often times if his dad was driving, he would sing with the kids. _I can’t wait to see him!_ This time, however, the drive was going to be too short to get any good belting out, so they instead made small talk.

“Mom,” Patton piped up, “Can Quil come bowling with us tomorrow night? She said she didn’t have any plans.”

For a long second, his mother hummed in consideration. She then cleared her throat, “Well, unfortunately we probably won’t be going bowling tomorrow, kiddo. Your dad needs to work through some things, so he’ll most likely be busy for the next week or two. We can go out and do something else, though, the three of us! Um, how does the skate park sound?” When the two children yelled their agreement she smiled, although there was an expression on her face that Patton couldn’t entirely read. He leaned forward and patted her arm. “You’re the best mom ever!” Just as he hoped, her smile brightened a little and she murmured, “Thanks, kiddo.”

They arrived shortly at the house. It was on the small side, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. There was plenty of room to play stories and enjoy life. It was painted a nice sunny yellow like the car- it was his father’s favorite color- with a light blue front door. This had been painted by Patton and his father, and he remembered those hours to the current day. It was one of the many fun times they had shared together and he always looked back on it fondly. Skipping up the small stone path, Patton rapped on the door with his signature five knocks. There was no response. “Isn’t Dad supposed to be home?” he looked back at his mom and Quil. His mother furrowed her eyebrows and nodded, pulling out her keys and unlocking the door. “He must be busy, or he can’t hear us.”

The moment the door was open Patton dashed inside and ran down the hallway. Skidding along the wooden floor, he threw his backpack into his room and then knocked on his parents’ door. “Dad! We’re home!” Silence followed. _Maybe he’s in the garage?_ Running back through the house, he went out through the door in the living room to get into the garage. The entire space was void of life. Quil peeked inside, “Did you find him?”

“No,” Patton sadly returned to the indoors. His mother was standing in front of the kitchen counter, holding an envelope in her hand. Silently, she ripped it open and pulled out a few slips of paper. Reading over them carefully, she slowly put a hand over her mouth and her eyes widened. Patton frowned at her, “What’s wrong, Mom?” She didn’t respond for a long minute until she set the papers down. Then she looked over at him, fury and tears in her eyes. “Kiddo… you’re not going to see your dad again. He left.”

“He left?” Patton blinked in confusion, not entirely sure what she meant. His mother couldn’t mean that he had _left_ left. “To where? Why won’t I see him again?” None of this made any sense. Had she learned this from that envelope? Who had left it there? Had his _father_ wrote something for them? “Was he kidnapped? Is he being held for ransom?”

His mother shook her head. Her hands were trembling. “He ran off to be with another man. Your father is leaving his job as a brain specialist here to go live in Canada with a man because he apparently never loved me, and it was all an act to convince his family that he wasn’t gay! He didn’t even mention you in any of this! I knew there was something wrong with him- refusing to do anything with us this past week, those late calls he always hid in the garage to take.” She ripped the papers in half and threw them in the trash can under the sink, storming off and slamming the door to what was now her bedroom alone.

Patton and Quil remained silent in the kitchen. After a minute or two, Quil came over and put a hand on his arm. “Hey, are you okay?” He didn’t respond, instead approaching the trash can and pulling the papers back out. There were six pieces; three papers in all. The first page started with _To Patty_. Sitting down at the dining table, Patton began to read the letter that his father had left behind. Quil sat down next to him, reading over his shoulder.

To sum up, the letter specified how Patton’s dad could no longer handle living a lie. He didn’t want to continue on the way he was. He admitted that he never loved Patton’s mom and that he was actually in love with a man he’d been seeing for a few months. The more Patton read, the more hope was drained from him. _Dad’s… gone. He left us, and he’s gonna be gone forever._ Not once had in the three pages had he mentioned anything to do with Patton. _Does he not love me? Has he_ ever _loved me?_ Had it all been fake, all these years? Was the love that Patton’s father had showed him made up? Once they had both finished it, Patton carried it back to the trash and let the sheets float down.

_Why would he not love me?_

***

“Hey,” Quil pulled out her phone. “I’ve got to show you this awesome fanart of Legolas and Gimli that I found. Seriously, they are the cutest ship to ever exist in any fandom ever.”

The two were sitting in the park at the early hour of 8:00 AM on a bright Sunday morning. They liked going out and enjoying the outdoors, and had been doing it for the past year. They were 12, and 12-year-olds were supposed to do cool stuff like that. Usually, Patton found himself loving on a jogger’s dog while Quil took pictures, although recently she had gotten into _The Lord of the Rings_ and all the ships that came with it. Personally, he was slightly uncomfortable with discussing certain… _slash_ ships, as they painfully reminded him of his father.

“Oh wow!” Patton looked at her screen, inwardly squirming but expressing very positive feelings. “That looks awesome! I mean, I don’t ship it myself, but I love the art style of it! Do you know who drew it?”

“Yeah,” she clicked on the name of who posted it, and it led to their profile. Their account was named vigilant_anxiety, and the whole aesthetic of it screamed emo. It seemed that they mostly drew fanart of characters from _The Lord of the Rings_ , _Harry Potter_ , and _Twilight_. All of it was gay. Quil let out a squeal and clicked the follow button. “Definitely following them. Pat, you need to get a Tumblr account! There are so many good artists on here.” She had been bugging him about it for the past month, ever since she’d gotten hers, but he wasn’t really into the idea. Was the rest of Tumblr like what Quil had showed him? He didn’t want to be surrounded by all of that on a daily basis. Instead of voicing this, he smiled. “Sorry, I just keep forgetting! I'll try to do it in the next week or two.” Quickly, he looked around for something to change the subject to, and was surprised to see a tall chapel up on the block ahead. It looked quite old, and the exterior was absolutely stunning. It was made of white stone, with stained glass windows on the second floor and big wooden doors on the first one. “Whoa, look at that!” He pointed wildly at it. To his surprise, Quil rolled her eyes, “Oh, that’s just a church. I think it’s really conservative Catholic or something.”

Frowning, Patton’s shoulders slumped a little. “Don’t you want to see what’s inside? It’s probably really pretty! And you don’t have to be religious to see beauty.” He wanted to go in and see if there were more stained glass windows, as he’d always found them fascinating. His mother would probably disapprove of him going inside a church, but she didn’t have to know, did she? Quil shook her head, “I’m not going in there. I’ll wait outside for you, though, if you really want to see it.”

The thought of going in alone scared him a bit. For a year or two now, Patton had found it very scary to go anywhere by himself. He was always with the many, many friends he had made over the years, and _not_ being with them was… frightening. What was the point in making everyone like you by being happy twenty-four/seven if you were just going to leave them? _I’m never going to leave my friends._ No, he wasn’t afraid of leaving his friends- he made sure not to. It was _them_ that he was worried were going to abandon _him_. Just like his father had. _My dad didn’t love me… so I’ll make sure everyone else does!_ It was his main goal to try his hardest to be friends with everyone he met. The more people he became acquainted with, the less time he was alone. By now, his entire class knew him well. It felt nice knowing that there was always somebody that needed him. But ever increasingly, his time with Quil was drifting away. _It doesn’t matter! We’re still besties!_

They reached the front of the building and Quil leaned against the stone, scrolling through Tumblr. Patton hesitated a moment before pulling open the right wooden door just wide enough for him to squeeze through. The metal door handle made a loud _click-clack!_ noise as it shut, but he didn’t notice. He was too focused on the interior of the place that he instantly decided he never wanted to leave.

It was the most beautiful place Patton had ever seen. Oaken benches were lined up all throughout the open room- there was enough space for more than two hundred people. There was about thirty people milling around and talking quietly. On the opposite side of the area was a stage with a podium on it. There was an older man standing beside it, flipping through a large black book. On the edge of the stage were a group of whispering women and men dressed in black robes. _This place looks like it’s from the 15 th century!_ Slowly making his way down the middle isle, Patton found himself standing before the older man with the book. “Um, hi!” he squeaked nervously. “Can I take pictures of this place?”

The older man’s eyes flickered down to him, and he closed his book. Only then did Patton realize that the book was a Bible, and that this man must be the priest of this church. _What have I gotten myself into?_ The man narrowed his eyes at Patton. “Who might you be? The Millers’ son? Jeremiah, isn’t it?”

“No,” Patton cleared his throat. “I’m, uh, Patton Sanders! I just happened to be passing by and I thought this church looked really cool.” _I can’t believe I’m talking to a real priest!_ For a few moments, the old man looked confused before he smiled a little. “Do you think that perhaps you came here more than just because you wanted to take pictures? I think you might have been led here to find true meaning in your life. Have you ever considered learning a little more about our Lord and Savior?”

 _Lord and Savior?_ Was the priest talking about the religion taught here? _Catholics are Christian, right? So, they would think the Lord and Savior is God, or Jesus Christ._ Patton had only heard of Christianity vaguely, or any religion for that matter. His mother was a downright atheist and had never introduced him to a single one. “Um, no,” he shifted on his feet nervously. He hadn’t meant to get caught up in a conversation like this- he had just wanted to look around. “I’m not really that interested.” _Should I just leave? Quil’s waiting for me._

“Nonsense,” the man set the Bible onto the podium. “Patton, you would not have come here if you were not interested. I’m sure you’ve wondered if there was something missing from your life many times. There is; you do not have the love of God filling your heart. He loves you, but you have not learned how to love Him back yet. If you let Him, He will save you. He has always been there for you, and He will continue to be. Give Him thanks for that. He is your loving father.”

That last sentence struck Patton hard. He stood completely still, at a loss for words. _My loving father? And he’s always with me?_ Was it really true or made up? He wished it to be true, more than anything. That somebody had loved him from the beginning, and that they always would. That they were there for him, even when he felt the most alone. “My… my dad left to live with another man,” Patton admitted quietly. “You’re saying that I have another one?”

“Yes,” the priest nodded. “He is more of your father than your biological one. Although your father may be related to you by blood, he left you. He sinned for leaving his wife and becoming one with a man. Your _real_ father is not him. It is God.” For a moment he went silent before he spoke again. “Would you like to stay for the service? It begins in ten minutes. You can sit in the front where I can see you- I’m assuming your mother isn’t here.”

 _What about Quil?_ Patton couldn’t just leave Quil hanging. For some reason, he felt anxious about the thought of telling her he wanted to stay behind and listen to a religious service. _I’ll text her to leave without me because I’m taking pictures._ The thought of lying seemed terrible, but what else could he do? “Alright,” he smiled. “I’ll stay.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If God is real, at this point he isn't a very good person.

Before Patton was a scene more bloody and terrible than one from any movie he had ever seen. Almost half of the parking lot was splattered crimson, with pieces of flesh scattered here and there. Bodies lay mutilated on the asphalt, expressions of terror on their cold, dead faces. That wasn’t even the worst of it; hanging on the side of the bus was the body of Camden, crucified for all to see. Scarlet liquid was trickling down his arms and dripping onto the ground below. The windows of the bus behind him were too clouded with red to see through. Patton turned and heaved the contents of his stomach into the bush next to him, the assault of gore upon him not welcome. After taking deep breaths to calm his nerves, his brain fully comprehended what this was. _All of those teenagers… Camden, AJ, Gabby… they’ve all been murdered!_ How could this have happened? Who could’ve possibly done this much damage? _Was it the kidnapper? They did kill Lilly, so I’m sure they could slaughter others too._ Slowly, ever so slowly, he approached the vehicle. _I can’t leave Camden up there like that- and I have to look for survivors!_ Replenished tears were threatening to spill out, but for now he was holding it together. _I have to stay focused!_

Once he reached the bus, Patton set Lilly down and daintily began to pull at the nails embedded in Camden’s palms. He gasped a little when he touched Camden’s skin; it was cold. It felt disgusting to be this close to a dead person, to be trying to pull something out of their body. The first nail was taking it’s time to pull out. He tried to grasp it better, his knuckles turning white with the effort, but the only way it was going to work was if he pushed against Camden’s hand to help stabilize his pulling. _Should I just give up and let him stay up here?_ No- he couldn’t let Camden be humiliated this way. Patton took a deep breath and gripped the nail, yanking at it with all his might as he pinned his dead friend’s hand to the wall. The small, iron object clinked onto the pavement and Camden swung sideways, now only suspended by the second nail. When Patton looked at it closely, he saw that the weight had caused the nail to cut through more of Camden’s left hand, leaving an open wound that he could see all the way through. _Oh God, can this thing just come out?_ He desperately ripped the nail away, and to his surprise Camden’s body crashed on top of him. Patton screamed, falling onto his back and heaving Camden off of him. His whole being trembling, he stared at the body for a good minute. That had been one of the worst experiences of his whole life. _How could anyone possibly do that to a person?_

It took a whole five minutes to finally manage to stand up. One of Patton’s friends, Camden Foote, had been crucified for anyone and everyone to see. What kind of sick person could have such messed-up thoughts as to think that was a fine thing to do? A Satanist? _I wonder what they’re doing to Thomas…_ If they were a Satanist, they could really be doing anything. He shivered in horror, not wanting to think about that. Feeling the rough surface of the asphalt beneath him, Patton got onto his feet and tried to open the door to the bus with a feeling of absolute dread. _God is with me. I’m okay, God is with me!_ The words felt empty, and they did not reassure him in the least bit.

Unfortunately, the door wouldn’t budge. Patton frowned, _Why can’t I get in?_ How was he supposed to check inside for survivors? _Wait, there’s a way in at the back!_ Wishing this could just end already, he made his way around to the rear of the vehicle. There it was; the back entrance. As he reached for the handle, though, he hesitated and then side-stepped out of the direct front of the entryway. He was right to do so; when Patton swung the door open, someone tumbled out just next to him and collapsed on the ground. _Crunch!_ Their skull smashed open and blood started seeping out, their eyes glazed over but still wide. They were facing up, and Patton recognized them as Gabby. _Oh Gabby!_ What a terrible fate to befall such a bright young woman. Her brown curls were swathed around her face, and her left arm was gone. Her ribcage had been crushed in by a blunt weapon- her ribs had probably pierced through her lungs, preventing her from breathing. Closing his eyes, Patton felt his way into the bus so he wouldn’t have to look at her. He didn’t even notice the hot tears pouring down his cheeks.

The inside of the bus smelled of the irony tang of blood. The leather seats were stained scarlet, and the bodies of teenagers were everywhere. It looked as if the killer had come from the back as well, as there were signs of people trying to run for the front entrance. Some were splayed over the seats, but most were piled in the walkway. The silence was almost claustrophobic, only protruded by Patton’s heaving breathing. It was like walking through a battlefield, after some dominant power had destroyed their weak enemies with a more technologically advanced weapon. Like the Europeans did against the Africans. Like the Spanish did against the Native Americans. _They never stood a chance._ Stepping over bodies, Patton found himself eventually standing at the front of the bus next to the dead body of AJ. AJ was wedged against the door. _So that’s what was blocking it._

To Patton’s surprise, there was a small piece of paper sitting on the driver’s seat. He reached down and picked it up. There was a single word written on it; _Waterfall_. _What does that mean?_ Had the killer left this here for him to find, or had someone else written it? _If the killer did, does that mean they want me to go to the waterfall?_ Patton didn’t know the way there; that had been Camden’s job to know. _Well, Camden isn’t here anymore. I could look it up!_ Pulling out his phone, he discovered that it wouldn’t turn on. _0%_ lingered on the screen for a long moment after he pressed the home button before it faded away. _Oh no. If I’m out of batteries, I won’t be able to get there. And I can’t call the police to tell them what happened either! No, wait- can’t you emergency call with someone else’s phone?_ Crouching beside AJ, he quickly felt around in his friend’s pockets and found his phone. He pressed the call button and dialed 911. _Thank goodness that worked._ The moment someone picked up, Patton started talking. “Police! This is Patton Sanders, I’m part of the library trip that went to the hiking trails out of town-”

“Sir!” a woman interrupted him. “Please, slow down. You’re name is Patton Sanders and you’re on the hiking trip?” For a few moments she went quiet before resuming their conversation. “Police forces are already on their way. Has something else happened?”

“Yes!” he exclaimed. Talking to another person felt so relieving, and he wanted to make she stayed on the phone with him. “Lilly Singh and I went out into the woods to find Thomas Sanders, the one who was taken. Joan and Talyn- I don’t know their last names, but they’re teenagers- followed us and we were attacked by the kidnapper. They killed Lilly, so Joan and Talyn followed them! I went back to the parking lot but everyone was dead, and Camden Foote was crucified on the bus, and- and-”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” the person on the other end cut in again. “Mr. Sanders, please calm down. Do not panic. The police are almost there, just stay where you are until they arrive. If you see the killer, stay hidden and stay safe. Do not approach them. Now, can you tell me if there was anything else that happened of importance?”

 _The note._ “I found a note left by the kidnapper,” Patton admitted. “It just says ‘waterfall’. There’s a waterfall in the woods somewhere- it might be where they’re keeping Thomas!” _They could be hurting Thomas… or they could throw him off the waterfall!_ “I have to go there and find Thomas! I’m not letting him get hurt!"

“Mr. Sanders!” her voice turned firm. “Do not leave the parking lot for your own safety! The police will be there soon to handle the situation. Stay where you are and wait for them, do not take action on your own.”

 _I have to find Thomas!_ It wasn’t an option to sit around when his cousin was in danger. Patton knew he would be disobeying the officer he was on the phone with, but that didn’t matter. Thomas’s life mattered more than that! “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Patton squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the woman’s protests as he hung up. _I can’t believe I actual hung up on a police officer!_ Nothing was more important than this, though. _Even without a map, I’ll find the waterfall and save Thomas! I’ll find Joan and Talyn too- thank goodness they didn’t come back here, they might’ve been killed! …Or they were killed in the forest._

Sliding AJ’s phone into his pocket, Patton exited the bus and jogged over to the trailhead. He paused at the point where the pavement turned into dirt, staring into the trees. It was only now that he was starting to process everything he had just seen. _I can’t dwell on that now! I- I have to be strong for Thomas!_ Patton would be able to think about it all he wanted when this was all over. There was no time to wait around, or the police would arrive before he even left. If the police got there, then they would keep Patton from looking for his cousin. _I have to see him- I have to make sure nothing happens to him!_ Frantically, he started running again- running away from the horrors that were in the parking lot and the horrors that were now imbedded in his mind.

The way back along the now-familiar path was making Patton remember terrible things. As he went along, the panic started to set in again. On the phone, he had been too concerned about Thomas to think about his own fears. But now he was among the tall, dark trees and the solitude was getting to him. _I’m all alone out here- I don’t even have Lilly. Everyone else is dead. Not a single person knows where I am in this terrible place._ Imagining himself forever lost and without company was not hard. A slow death would befall him, one by starvation, thirst, loneliness- he would go insane! _I feel like I’m_ already _going insane!_ Everything was happening so fast, nothing was truly registering. People had been murdered- so many people, and yet he wasn’t crying. _Why am I not crying?_ It was usually so easy to cry; he’d already done so multiple times. Was Patton simply out of tears? It felt like there was a gaping hole in his heart, an empty abyss that was starting to swallow him. Was he going to turn into an unsympathetic, unfeeling person? _Is that what I’ve become?_

Patton suddenly halted. He had reached the spot where Lilly had been attacked. Now it was time to make his choice; would he go into the woods and follow Joan and Talyn, or would he continue along the path? _We were going to the waterfall… so the trail must go there!_ Unless there was another juncture up ahead- if there was, Patton would have no idea what to do. Maybe if he followed Joan and Talyn he could find traces from them, or a message of some kind telling him they were okay! _What should I do?_ He then took in a deep breath and resumed his running down the worn path. _Thomas comes first; I have to find him!_

Trying to take in full breaths through his exhaustion and fear, Patton found his thoughts drifting to his father. They often did, although why now out of all times was a mystery. _I wonder what he would have done if he was in my place?_ His father probably would have abandoned his nephew and stayed safe at the bus in the first place instead of going searching. _Of course he would! He would’ve left Thomas to die, just like he left me to figure out how to live my life without him. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself- I bet he even left that man he ran off with!_ Patton gritted his teeth, fury and hate resonating within him. _I’m not like him, and I never will be! Never in my entire life!_

It had always been a goal in his head to never be like his father. If he did start to be, didn’t that mean he could eventually become the same terrible person? Patton had to make sure he was _nothing_ like him, to prevent such a thing happening. He didn’t own a single yellow item, he refused to speak about any new discoveries made about the brain, he didn’t use sarcasm, and lying was never allowed. His father had lied about everything, and Patton was not going to do the same. Lying was _wrong_ in almost every situation. There were one or two exceptions, but Patton didn’t allow himself more than that. He did not want anyone to deal with the same things he’d had to as a child, so it was a necessary sacrifice that he was more than willing to give.

Eventually, Patton came upon a river. It was quite a large one, most likely a good twenty-five feet across. The waters rushed downhill at terrifying speeds, rocks sticking up just above the surface here and there. The riverbanks were covered in pale, soft-looking sand that went inland a couple feet. The sun was able to shine brightly here, as the trees were forced to separate and let the rays come down without interruption. The trail Patton was on led up to a steel, silver bridge that spanned all the way to the other side. It was completely straight, with a metal grates for a walkway. It seemed sturdy enough to cross, and he stepped onto it with confidence.

There was a loud creak and he squeaked in surprise. His heart pounding, Patton was unsure if he was overreacting or if that sound really was an alarm. _People come here often, right? They would know if it wasn't stable!_ Nonetheless, he was terrified of the consequences of the bridge breaking beneath him. It would certainly be a shortcut to his destination; it would also be a shortcut to death by falling off a waterfall. Patton would have to be very careful about this. Taking a small step forward, he rested his foot on the bridge once more and slowly put his weight on it. Nothing happened. _What am I thinking? Of course it's okay to walk across! I'm just being paranoid!_ Changing his pace, Patton started to walk across it. The moment he was standing in the middle, though, a loud _screech!_ came from behind him and he felt the metal beneath him start to move. _I have to get off this thing!_ He sprinted down the length of the bridge, wishing that the river hadn't been so wide. He could hear the steel supports crashing into the rushing waters below. _Just a little farther!_ Patton was racing for dry land, too focused to even breathe. Unfortunately, he wasn't going fast enough and he knew he was going to fall. As the last part of the bridge fell away, Patton leapt forward and grasped onto the riverbank, his arms almost letting go from the shock of the impact. For a few moments he hung above the river watching the remnants of the bridge float away, adrenaline pouring through his veins. _I'm going to die!_ Desperately, Patton let out a scream of exertion as he used every ounce of strength he had to pull himself onto solid ground. Then he crawled forward a few feet and flopped onto his back, gasping for air.

The wide world above him was blurry and the empty air looked like it was moving. Patton could feel his body trembling harshly and his head felt light. All he could hear was his gasps for air and the blood roaring in his ears. The trees behind his head stretched up so high- were they touching those clouds? Colors were molding together to create strange shapes, and Patton couldn't form any meaningful thoughts. All he could think was, _I can't move._ His body wouldn't respond to anything that he tried to do. He wanted to move, but he didn't know why. _I have to move._

After a few minutes Patton's vision went back to normal and the shaking faded. He pushed himself up into a seated position, staring at the emptiness that had once connected the two sides of the river. _I don't have a way back._

It was only then that Patton once again started to weep.


	6. Finale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so this nightmare must come to its climax, and Patton has to deal with the consequences of his actions.

It was unclear how much time passed. Patton remained there on the riverbank, his body wracked with sobs and his mind stuck on the fear he was feeling. Nothing had ever been this terrible in his entire life. In the middle of the woods with not a single soul there to calm him down, Patton was truly lost in every sense of the word. This whole endeavor to save his poor cousin seemed absolutely hopeless. Even praying didn’t inspire him like it usually would. How could God have let this happen? God had let a maniac murder so many innocents- so many kids who had yet to live their lives. _It must be for a greater purpose,_ Patton reasoned to himself. _This is a test; I have to believe that he will see me through this._ But how many more lives would it take? Why did God have to make others suffer just to test him? _It’s… it’s not…_ He didn’t even dare finish that thought. How could he even think of questioning his lord and savior? The one who had died on the cross for his sins? The one who had given him life, who had been there for him in all the times he had needed it?

“Dear God,” Patton whispered through his tears. “Please, don’t hurt anybody else. There are other ways you can test me, just don’t kill any more people. They don’t deserve it. They _didn’t_ deserve it. If I have done something wrong then punish me, not anyone else.”

Nothing but silence answered him. Patton was terrified, sitting there in the dirt and clutching himself. So many things could jump out of the trees and eat him alive. He could even be caught by the serial killer themself. If everyone in the group combined hadn’t been able to stop the killer, then what hope did Patton have in possibly defending himself? The world was a scary place, and he was all alone in it. There was nobody to protect him and nobody to save him. It was strange- he had been alone many times before in the past decade, but only before he went to sleep. During the day he’d made sure he was always with someone, because that unquenchable fear of being abandoned was always at the back of his mind, whispering in his ears. Yet now, when he needed help the most, Patton found himself in solitude. _How can I save Thomas by myself?_ And what about Joan and Talyn? Had they been kidnapped too, or had they been murdered? Or perhaps they’d gotten lost in the woods without knowing the way back? _I hope they’re okay…_ Either way, they wouldn’t be much help to him. Patton was starting to realize how stupid his decision to disregard the police was. _They were right, I’m just going to end up dead or injured._

This was hopeless. How could Patton keep on going? What could he, a 22-year-old man who didn’t know anything about fighting, possibly do to rescue his cousin? He’d been put out of commission just by the last incident with the bridge! Heroics certainly weren’t in his skillset, so how could he be a hero? _I’m not a hero. I’m just a normal person._ Normal people were easy to kill. Normal people couldn’t do amazing feats of daring. _I can’t do this._ He hadn’t been able to save Lilly or anyone else. They had all died miserably by the hands of that terrible person. Images of the blood and gore he’d seen before flashed in his mind’s eye, making him feel sick. All of them were dead. _Everyone is dead._

A quiet voice spoke up. _That person killed them. Am I going to let them go free for the crimes they’ve committed? Am I going to let Thomas, Joan, and Talyn face the same fate? Am I just going to sit here and do nothing when I could at least_ try _? The right thing to do isn’t always the easiest, but it should be done anyways. I still have a chance to fight for them. So many people have died before me, fighting for a cause they knew would be a suicide mission, but they did it anyways. They were brave. All the people in all the wars who were killed- they knew they would probably die! Did they give up? Did they sit down and cry? Did they let their cause fail? No. They went to the end believing what they believed in, and it was those very things that fueled them. I may not be fighting on behalf of my country or for justice, but I am fighting for my family. I can’t stop now! Not when it really matters!_

Patton brushed a wrist against his eyes, wiping away his tears. Confused, he realized there was nothing perched on his nose. _Where are my glasses?_ He felt around on the grass for his glasses but couldn’t find anything. The world was quite blurry without them on. _Did they fall off my face into the river?_ That had to be the case, for he just couldn’t find them anywhere- it wasn’t helping that it was impossible to see anything clearly. _It doesn’t matter! I’ll be able to help Thomas without them, although it’ll make it a little more difficult._ Standing up, Patton took a deep breath and continued down the trail that he hoped against hope led to the waterfall.

Although he knew how dangerous it was to run while being half-blind, he did so anyways. Patton could pick himself up if he tripped, and time was of the essence. How long would the kidnapper wait for his arrival? Would they give up and leave the woods with Thomas? Hold him for ransom? It was terrible thinking about all the possibilities, but there was nothing else for Patton to do.

It was a long time before Patton started hearing the loud, thundering fall of water. During this time he wondered if he would ever be this scared again. Completely alone in the wild with nobody for miles except a murderer- how could one feel as frightened as this at any other time? Either this experience was going to cure his Autophobia or- the more likely choice- it was going to quadruple the effects of it from that point forward. There wasn’t anything Patton could do about it, so the best thing he could do at the moment was to try his best to deal with the current stress. Although he had been doing that for the past decade, it was going to be a lot harder to stay calm and smart. He would need to be both if he was going to save Thomas.

Now he had arrived. The waterfall itself was a good sixty feet away, with a railing blocking off the cliff face. There appeared to have once been another bridge going over to the other side, but it was gone. On the other riverbank stood someone in black, but without his glasses Patton couldn’t see them clearly. They were holding onto a familiar-looking teenager with dyed blue hair; Talyn. Beside them, sitting on the ground and tied up, were Thomas and Joan. With a loud gasp, Thomas yelled, “Patton! They’re going to throw Talyn off the waterfall!”

“Oh, shut up, you!” the person in black retorted playfully. Their voice was high-pitched and wacky, making it impossible to tell whether it was a female or male one. They strode over to the railing overlooking the abyss below and held Talyn above it. She let out a yelp, “Put me down!” Her plea was ignored and the killer looked back at Patton. “So, you finally decided to show up! We were waiting for what, an hour? Seriously, Two Truths and a Lie was getting quite boring. Did you know that your friend Thomas has kissed a boy?” They let out a gasp of fake surprise. “Oh, that’s right, I forgot! You’re super homophobic because your father abandoned you for someone he actually loved! I mean, I’m not surprised- you’re not someone to be exactly proud of.”

 _What?_ How did this person know about any of that? “I- I’m not homophobic!” Patton objected, clenching his fists. “And don’t talk about my dad! Just put down my kid and leave them all alone!” It came out weak, more like begging than an order. To be fair, he was confused and scared, and had no idea what to do. _If I make any wrong moves, Talyn will die!_ He had to be extremely careful about what he said. A couple moments passed before the killer seemed to smile. “Patton, you don’t have any kids, so I guess I can do whatever I want with _them_. Maybe if you had treated them better, I would’ve decided to play nice. But you don’t really deserve to continue being transphobic towards them anymore.” And with a single movement of their hand, Talyn went plummeting down into the emptiness below, screaming. “ _Talyn_!” Patton yelped, sprinting to the railing and looking down. On the rocks beside the river he could just make out her smashed remains, a pile of broken flesh and bones. She wasn’t moving. _Oh my God, Talyn! She’s- she’s-_ “You killed her!” he squeaked, his face dawning in horror. A screeching laugh echoed out from the murderer, and when Patton looked over at them they were grabbing onto the rope that held Joan and Thomas together. “Who’s her? I don’t know who you’re talking about. Oh, as for _them_ \- yeah, they were dead the moment they called my disguise stupid. Anywho, I have places to be and people to kill, toodles!” They took off running, dragging the two teens behind them. Patton’s eyes widened, “Thomas, Joan! Come back, stop!” Unfortunately, there was no stopping them, and they disappeared into the trees.

Patton had to do something, but what? There was no bridge to cross anywhere, and he had to get to the other side. _Could I make a raft?_ No, that would take too long and he didn’t have any materials. Clenching his jaw, he made a split-second decision. _I will do anything to save Thomas and Joan!_ With that thought repeating itself in his head, Patton ran forwards and leapt straight into the river.

The cold water knocked his breath away, and the moment he went under panic set in. _What am I doing!?_ He was going to get swept off the waterfall! Water swirled around him, carrying him forward. Patton was being thrown left and right, up and down, and it was hard to figure out which way was up. The water was absolutely _freezing_. His head bumped against a rock. _I’m upside-down!_ Desperately, he righted himself and resurfaced, taking in a lungful of air. The waterfall was much closer than before, only twenty feet away. Patton started swimming towards the shore, but he wasn’t sure if he was going to make it. _What was I thinking?! I can’t make it!_ How was he going to get to the other side before being carried off the cliff? _I just have to swim!_ The cold had already reached his bones, making it hard to move. He kept going, though, pushing on determinedly. He was getting closer, closer, closer-

A wave surged over his head. Patton hadn’t seen it coming and hadn’t gotten the necessary air to stay under long. Kicking out, he stuck his foot underneath a rock to prevent himself from moving further. Then he tried standing up, but the current was going too fast and he almost lost his stability. _I can’t breathe!_ With one last prayer to God, he pushed through the water and reached for land. It wasn’t there, and he went spiraling down the river. He managed to resurface and take in much-needed air, but this was also when he saw the edge of the cliff right before him. In a split second, he once again made a leap towards safety, aiming for one of the poles of the railing on land.

For a moment, Patton was suspended in empty air. Then he grasped onto the pole and was hanging just above where Talyn had fallen. He was gasping for air, his arms screaming with strain, and that drop… _I’ve never been this high before,_ Patton thought numbly, too shaken to be scared of the height. There were scraggly bushes and rocks below, sure to kill him easily if he let go. This was the same scenario as the bridge, but if he didn’t climb up fast he was going to die. His arms hurt so much- this was the second time in an hour that they had sustained his entire body- but they were going to have to do a little more work. _I have to get up there if I’m going to save Thomas._ Determination filled him, and he began to pull himself onto land, continuously moving his hands further up the pole until he managed to scuffle his feet onto the soft grass.

When he had taken a good ten steps away from danger, Patton collapsed. His legs simply gave out and he fell into a wet pile on the ground. Although he was begging himself to stand up and keep going, it was just impossible. He was freezing, and his arms and legs were shaking from exertion. All Patton wanted to do was fall asleep right then and there, in the middle of the forest where anything could show up and kill him. He could feel himself relaxing against the cool, dry dirt, his eyes drifting up and down. _Wait… no, I have to save Thomas. I can’t sleep, I could die. I just have to go a little further. This is almost over._ Patton tried not to think about the fact that the kidnapper, Thomas, and Joan were probably too far away now to catch up to. There had to be a chance. _God wouldn’t let them get away… would He?_

Despite the aching pain that had consumed his body, he stood up. This was all a test- a bloody, horrifying, exhausting test. All Patton had to do was get through it and remain strong. His goal was to save Thomas no matter what it took, even if it was his own life. _I will keep going and I will save him!_ Step by step, he made his way further from the river. He didn’t have a clue where the three might’ve gone, but staying in one place wasn’t going to inform him of that either. So, he continued onwards, clutching himself for warmth and looking about warily for threats and the people he was following.

Time seemed to slow down and speed up at the same time. Patton’s surroundings melted together into the same trees, the same bushes, and the only thing he knew how to do was keep walking. All he could truly see was his feet moving, one in front of the other, switching places, on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Never-ending, endless, infinite, eternal, everlasting. If he kept walking, he’d find Thomas. _What then?_ He didn’t know what he was going to do to actually _rescue_ Thomas and Joan, but that was a problem for later. He had to get there first. The soreness in his legs and feet were throbbing background noise, and he was no longer sure if it was normal or not to be feeling pain like this. His eyes blinked very slowly, and it was hard to pry them back open. Every time it took a little more effort. The freezing water clung to him, to his clothes, to his skin. It was so _cold_. His gray cardigan was gone, probably lost in the river. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. _Thomas, Thomas, Thomas._

Patton’s foot hit something new. It was pavement- dark gray, solid pavement. _Huh?_ He raised his head and took in the new area. Almost half of the parking lot was splattered crimson, with pieces of flesh scattered here and there. Bodies lay mutilated on the- wait. _The parking lot?_ But there were more cars here, black and white, and there were people in blue uniforms everywhere. Vaguely, Patton wondered if this was the police. The police, after all of this, had finally showed up when it was too late. They were talking in loud voices, there was so much noise. Someone was then shaking him with two firm hands on his shoulders. “Hey, can you hear me? Are you Patton Sanders?”

He stared at them blankly. It was a tall man- a good three to four inches taller than him- and he was decked out like a real police officer. _He’s a police officer._ Slowly, Patton nodded and then asked quietly, “Have you seen them?”

“Seen them?” the man frowned, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. “Who’s ‘them’? Thomas Sanders and the kidnapper?”

“And Joan,” Patton added. He suddenly saw the ground rushing towards him and the feeling of falling washed over him. The officer caught him, though, and then sat him down on the hard asphalt gently. “Whoa, you rest there for a bit. I’ll be back in just a second. We’re gonna take you to the hospital, okay? You’ll feel all better soon. Don’t worry about Thomas and Joan; we’re going to find them, alright?” When Patton didn’t give a response, he quickly walked away.

Having stopped, Patton now found that he no longer had any control of his body. When he willed it to stand up to keep looking for his cousin, it did nothing. Any movement was involuntary; his breathing, his blinking, and sometimes he twitched strangely. These were almost invisible though- until he slumped onto his back, lying across the ground. His vision started tunneling and he let his eyes shut, letting the pain and exhaustion wash over him, giving in to the deep thoughts of his mind that had been begging him to give up on finding Thomas, Joan, and that strange person who had someone known so much about him.

***

Two days later, Patton was discharged from the hospital. The police had apparently taken his unconscious body to the emergency room, where although he had no immediate injuries to be treated, he was suffering from having done so much physical activity in only four hours. He had also almost gotten hypothermia from taking a nice swim in the river. His mother had visited him the day of the incident, although Patton had told her that he needed some time to think over things before telling her about what had gone down in the woods. While leaving, the doctor had told him to take it very easy for the next week or two to prevent any serious injuries. So, Patton had gotten an Uber driver to pick him up and take him home, as his car was not at the hospital to drive and walking wasn’t an option.

When he stepped out onto the sidewalk and the sleek black car drove away, Patton felt rather strange looking at the house. It was the same one he had lived in his entire life, still painted that disgusting yellow. The door had been repainted by his mother, though, and was now a light purple that matched the rest of the house nicely. The last time Patton had been here, he had been a very different person. Whereas before when he stood outside his house he felt mostly safe, now he had a heightened sense of anxiety. _What if that murderer shows up again?_ Trying not to think about that, he strode up to the front door only to discover a slip of paper was on the doorstep. _What’s this?_ His name in cursive was on the front, and he picked it up, flipping it over.

_Silverbridge Rd. 24601, Gainesville Florida. November 1 st 2020\. If you wish to see your dear cousin and his friend again, come to the given address on the provided date. It’ll be a nice reunion for the two of us. –J. S._

The paper slipped from his hand and his fist clenched. _Oh, it’ll certainly be a reunion._

*********************

_Keep reading in the next installment, Lies #3: Craniotomy._


End file.
